The Magic improved to 47 wins last season, just edging out the Heat to win the Southwest Division. I think the gap could grow wider this season, and we can take advantage early with the Magic priced as underdogs on Opening Night in Miami.
Orlando Magic +2 (-108) — 1-unit
The Magic might not sneak up on teams quite like they did last season when they went 55-34 ATS, which was an NBA-best 61.8%. But Orlando is built with the potential to be an elite team, particularly in the regular season. The Magic have a ton of young players with terrific size, and we saw that pay off on the defensive side of the ball last season.
The issue with the Magic was finding consistency on offense. But with Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner gaining another year of experience, I do expect them to develop as playmakers (both of them made a jump last season). Orlando also has a slew of gritty guards, and made the huge addition of Kentavious Caldwell-Pope in the offseason. KCP brings championship pedigree to this young team, fitting in defensively, while adding some much needed perimeter shooting.
Orlando’s style of play should matchup well against Miami, and the size of the Magic should also give the Heat troubles defensively. I feel the Magic are in strong position to take another step forward, giving them some value early in the season, particularly when priced as a dog.
Download the DraftKings Sportsbook app on Apple or Google!
Put your knowledge to the test. Sign up for DraftKings and experience the game inside the game.
All views expressed are my own. I am an employee of DraftKings and am ineligible to play in public DFS or DKSB contests.
The contents contained in this article do not constitute a representation that any particular strategy will guarantee success. All customers should use their own skill and judgment.
